Skeletal Trauma Analysis E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 417

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

In the post-Daubert era, forensic science disciplines are increasingly informed by robust, statistically-sound experimental research. The educational value of the well-documented case study, however, remains as important as ever. Emphasizing known contextual information, this volume serves as a case-driven guide to skeletal trauma analysis through the unique perspective of each chapter's authors. Both forensic anthropologists and pathologists contribute skeletal trauma cases covering a range of topics including child abuse, blunt force trauma, descents from height, plane crashes, sharp force trauma and dismemberment, gunshot wounds, blast trauma, and burned body interpretation. Several chapters also include a discussion of potentially confounding taphonomic influences such as animal scavenging, water immersion, burning, and extended postmortem intervals. Detailed descriptions with multiple supporting images allow the practitioner's skeletal trauma interpretation to be compared to the "answer" as it pertains to the known circumstances surrounding the traumatic events of each case.

Leseprobe

Skeletal trauma analysis

Case studies in context

EDITED BY

Nicholas V. Passalacqua

Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command – Central Identification Laboratory, Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam, HI, USA

Christopher W. Rainwater

New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and New York University, New York, NY, USA

This edition first published 2015 © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Registered office: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK

Editorial offices:

9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK

 The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK

111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, USA

For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell.

The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author(s) have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services and neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for

ISBN: 9781118384220

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Cover image: Image courtesy of Elaine Rainwater.

Typeset in 10.5/14pt MeridienLTStd by Laserwords Private Limited, Chennai, India

Disclaimer: Any view or opinions in this volume are those of the respective contributors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the United States Department of Defense or the City of New York.

1   2015

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

List of contributors

1

Introduction

Skeletal trauma analysis: case studies in context

References

2

Atypical gunshot and blunt force injuries: wounds along the biomechanical continuum

Introduction

Background

Gunshot trauma

Blunt force trauma

Biomechanical continuum

Case 1: depressed fracture of inner table from historic gunshot contusion

Case 2: depressed fracture from .32 caliber, short, Smith & Wesson projectile

Case 3: penetrating depressed fracture from detached umbrella tip

Case 4: depressed fracture from perforating blunt impact from edged metal foreign object

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Disclaimer

References

3

Over-interpretation of bone injuries and implications for cause and manner of death

Introduction

The cases

Scene context

Autopsy and police investigation

Discussion and conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

4

Skeletal injuries in cases of child abuse: two case studies from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences

Introduction

Case 1

Case 2

Conclusions

References

5

Blunt force trauma patterns in the human skull and thorax: a case study from northern California

Introduction

Case background

Biological profile

Antemortem trauma

Perimortem trauma

Trauma interpretation

Case resolution

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

6

Patterns of skeletal trauma inflicted during the Spanish Civil War

Introduction

The Spanish Civil War

Materials

Examples of trauma from Monte Costaján

Patterns of skeletal trauma

Conclusions

References

7

Shot and beaten to death? Suspected projectile and blunt force trauma in a case involving an extended period of postmortem water immersion

Introduction

Case description

Trauma analysis

Discussion and conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

8

Man’s best friend: a case study of ballistics trauma and animal scavenging

Introduction

Bone biomechanics

Case study

References

9

Skeletal evidence of violent sexual assault in remains with excessive evidence of scavenging

Introduction

Case history

Analysis

An additional finding

Discussion

Conclusions

References

10

Neurocranial fractures

Introduction

Case 1

Case 2

Understanding neurocranial fracture patterns

Experimental studies

Computer modeling

Case studies

Conclusions

References

11

Blunt force trauma associated with a fall from heights

Introduction

Trauma analysis

Summary

Case outcome

References

12

Low-velocity impact trauma: an illustrative selection of cases from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command – Central Identification Laboratory

Introduction

Case 1

Case 2

Case 3

Conclusions/takeaways

Disclaimer

References

13

Blast trauma

Introduction

Blast traumas

Experimental studies on skeletal blast trauma

Differentiating blast trauma from other types of trauma

Disclaimer

References

14

Case studies in skeletal blast trauma

Introduction

Case background

Case reports

Discussion

Conclusions

Disclaimer

Acknowledgments

References

15

Burned human remains in a double homicide: a forensic case in Cyprus

Introduction

Case study overview

Initial anthropological analysis

Pattern analysis and injury mechanism

Taking the next step: in search for the torso

Discussion

Acknowledgments

References

16

The utility of spatial analysis in the recognition of normal and abnormal patterns in burned human remains

Introduction

Classifying the severity of fire modification

Recognizing process signatures

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Disclaimer

References

17

Three modes of dismemberment: disarticulation around the joints, transection of bone via chopping, and transection of bone via sawing

Introduction

Modes of dismemberment

Case 1: Disarticulation around the joints

Additional information

Case 2: Transection via chopping

Case 3: Transection via sawing

Conclusions

Disclaimer

References

18

Kreischer Mansion homicide

Introduction

Case background/investigation

Homicide details

Search and recovery efforts – I

Search and recovery efforts – II

Initial findings/interpretation

Search and recovery efforts – III

Findings/interpretations

Trial and conviction

Disclaimer

References

19

Postmortem trauma and the “CSI Effect:” is television making smarter criminals?

Introduction

The “CSI Effect”

Criminal behavior and forensic anthropology

The case

Conclusions

References

Index

Pages

iii

iv

vii

viii

ix

x

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

51

52

53

54